Euthanasia : cervical dislocation gone wrong, looking for help to understand why.

[ManueB]

Content warning : this post contains a detailed description of a failed cervical dislocation that required several attempts before death. It was painful to write for me, and could likely be difficult to read.

I would really appreciate feedback from people with more experience on what I did wrong, to know if I can ever attempt it again. (Please be kind or factual. I know I caused extreme useless pain and I already feel terrible and guilty about it, which doesn't change what happened.)

Tuesday 21, I decided to end Brune's life using cervical dislocation. It took several attempts and many long minutes when it should normally take 40 seconds. It was my first time doing this and I followed the explanation on this very clear blog post (thanks to @Shadrach for the link).

Brune was semi-conscious and lying down outside on the floor. I stretched her neck and applied quite a lot of strength to tilt her head backwards. I felt a snap and thought it was done. But although her neck went limp, there was no flapping, and after maybe a minute she was clearly still alive , breathing, with her eyes opened and closing when flies came by.

I tried again. The second attempt I felt I didn't break or snap anything because her neck felt completely loose, very elastic like rubber and like it would just bend but never break. This time her eyes closed and there was flapping so I thought she would die, but after again more than thirty seconds, she was still breathing, though there was no reflex of chasing flies away anymore. I believe and hope she was unconscious by then.

At this point I hesitated to go get a knife and lost again some precious time. I decided against it and attempted a third time stretching the neck again as far as possible, which was very much as it now felt totally loose, and once again tilting the head backward as violently as I could. There was no snap, but this time her wings flapped and she did die after what seemed like far more than forty seconds.

The article I linked mentions three possible causes of failure : not stretching the neck enough, attempting to dislocate too low below the head, and breaking bones.
I'm really not sure what I did wrong. It felt like I stretched her neck the first time and I did feel something snap, but that didn't cause instant death. Is it possible I did not apply enough strength, or does it seem most likely I did not stretch her neck far enough? I'm sure I did not hesitate, and I tried to be quick.

And I also wonder if attempting to do it again was the right thing to do, as it just felt impossible to snap a then very elastic neck. Should I have kept a knife close by in case of trouble ?

I'm not sure I should ever try this method again, if I am again led to euthanize a chicken. My other option would be decapitation. For people who have experience with both, would you have any advice ?

Thank you so much for your help on this difficult subject.

Brune last summer.

 

[Skyewatcher]

I'm sorry you went through that.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

I am so sorry about your experience.
I use the broomstick method because I feel I have more counterforce for leverage. I watched
THIS video. It’s 12 minutes long but the farmer explains things very well.

 

[Eggcessive]

So sorry that this happened. I have also had trouble with cervical dislocation or the broomstick method as some call it. I chose the method that works for me which is to tie the legs together, and hang the chicken upside down from a nail on a tree. Then taking the sharpest knife, cutting the jugular vein on the side of the neck, hold them while they bleed out for about 90 seconds. Some also use tree loppers or an ax. Hopefully others will chime in.

 

[Shadrach]

I think what happened is you broke the bone but not the spinal cord.

 

[deidreg]

Oh I am so sorry for your situation. I've put down a few chickens using the broomstick method. The first time I did it I pulled so hard I decapitated the hen. At least she went quickly. The other times also worked fine with no decapitations.

No matter how it goes it's a very difficult situation. I commend you for being able to do this final act for your birds.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

I suspect that you broke the neck, but didn't snap the spinal cord by stretching her neck out far enough. I don't have the courage for manual cervical dislocation (I use the broomstick method now), but have read that it actually requires a fair amount of strength to do it properly. I'm getting older and losing strength, so I worry that I won't be able to do it right.

And it is not instantaneous - so some of the reactions you witnessed *may* have been reflexes anyway (breathing, opening and closing eyes), and not conscious movements, even though they may have seemed so.

Here, from Dr. Mike's website that you referenced (underlining is mine for emphasis):
"It causes unconsciousness in around 40 seconds after being applied, and is very repeatable….that is, it works every time it is done properly. The way cervical dislocation causes unconsciousness is by stretching the neck, dislocating the joint at the base of the skull. This causes the spinal cord (which is very elastic) to snap, and the resulting recoil causes brain damage and unconsciousness through concussion."

So, if you didn't stretch it far enough, or didn't stretch it simultaneously when you broke the neck, then the spinal cord didn't 'snap' and recoil into the brain. It just stretched. However, that ALONE would have caused paralysis and loss of sensation even if the bird was still alive and conscious.

I think you could console yourself knowing that even *IF* the bird was aware after you broke her neck, that she did NOT feel any pain after the initial break.

Please watch some videos on the broomstick method. It works for me because I hold the bird's feet in my hands, am bent over to place the broomstick, and when I stand up quickly it breaks the neck and stretches it without question. I very clearly feel the 'snap' and also feel the neck stretch - out to about 8-12-inches of stretch!

Two things I would recommend if you do the broomstick method next time: Use an actual broom (and not just the stick), or some pole that has a place where you can put your foot to hold it without rolling or spinning under your foot. And get a helper to place and hold the other end of the broomstick steady for you, so you can quickly step on it and immediately stand straight, while keeping your balance and both hands on the bird. (Lessons learned the hard way.)

I'm so sorry you had to go through this experience. {{{hugs}}}

 

[ManueB]

Thank you all for your answers.
@NorthwoodsChick the video is very helpful, showing both dislocation with hands and with the broomstick. And explaining that doing it by hands for a bigger rooster require a huge amount of strength. I wish I had seen it before, though it is hard to watch for the many people like me who are afraid of pain and death.

@BarnyardChaos thank you also for the detailed explanations. I believe I did not realize the amount of strength needed both for stretching and dislocating. I understand that what could go wrong with the broomstick would be if it starts to roll or move- but I think I could try that out to feel the balance without the actual chicken.

Thank you also for the kind thoughts, please have them for Brune .

 

[Sally PB]

Thank you also for the kind thoughts, please have them for Brune

Fly high and free, dear Brune!

Hugs for you and her.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

Two things I would recommend if you do the broomstick method next time: Use an actual broom (and not just the stick), or some pole that has a place where you can put your foot to hold it without rolling or spinning under your foot.

This is important, IMO, to prevent rolling. I used a long handled mini rake- the kind for dog clean up but the handle was no larger in circumference to a broom handle providing for a nice snug fit at the base of the skull. It is light enough for me to manipulate one handed yet strong enough not to easily break.